Beijing has a rather dry, monsoon-influenced humid continental climate (Koppen climate classification Dwa), characterised by hot, humid summers due to the East Asian monsoon, and generally cold, windy, dry winters that reflect the influence of the vast Siberian anticyclone.[41] Spring can bear witness to sandstorms blowing in from the Mongolian steppe, accompanied by rapidly warming, but generally dry, conditions. Autumn, like spring, sees little rain, but is crisp and short. The monthly daily average temperature in January is -3.7 °C (25.3 °F), while in July it is 26.2 °C (79.2 °F). Precipitation averages around 570 mm (22.4 in) annually, with the great majority of it falling in the summer months. Extremes have ranged from -27.4 to 42.6 °C (-17 to 109 °F).

Climate data for Beijing (1971-2000)

Month

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Year

Average high °C (°F)

1.8
(35.2)

5.0
(41.0)

11.6
(52.9)

20.3
(68.5)

26.0
(78.8)

30.2
(86.4)

30.9
(87.6)

29.7
(85.5)

25.8
(78.4)

19.1
(66.4)

10.1
(50.2)

3.7
(38.7)

17.9
(64.2)

Average low °C (°F)

-8.4
(16.9)

-5.6
(21.9)

0.4
(32.7)

7.9
(46.2)

13.6
(56.5)

18.8
(65.8)

22.0
(71.6)

20.8
(69.4)

14.8
(58.6)

7.9
(46.2)

0.0
(32.0)

-5.8
(21.6)

7.2
(45.0)

Precipitation mm (inches)

2.7
(0.106)

4.9
(0.193)

8.3
(0.327)

21.2
(0.835)

34.2
(1.346)

78.1
(3.075)

185.2
(7.291)

159.7
(6.287)

45.5
(1.791)

21.8
(0.858)

7.4
(0.291)

2.8
(0.11)

571.8
(22.512)

%humidity

44

44

46

46

53

61

75

77

68

61

57

49

56.8

Avg. precipitation days (>= 0.1 mm)

1.8

2.3

3.3

4.3

5.8

9.7

13.6

12.0

7.6

5.0

3.5

1.7

70.6

Mean monthly sunshine hours

194.1

194.7

231.8

251.9

283.4

261.4

212.4

220.9

232.1

222.1

185.3

180.7

2,670.8

Source: China Meteorological Administration

Xian Climate & Terrain

Xi'an has a temperate, semi-arid climate (Koppen BSk) influenced by the East Asian monsoon. The Wei River valley is characterised by hot, humid summers and cold, dry winters. Spring and autumn are somewhat brief and dry. Xi'an receives most of its annual precipitation from August to late October in the form of rain. Snow occasionally falls in winter but rarely settles for long. Dust storms often occur during March and April as the city rapidly warms up. Summer months also experience frequent but short thunderstorms. Monthly mean temperatures range from around the freezing mark in January to 26.6 °C (79.9 °F) in July, with an annual average of 13.7 °C (56.7 °F). Extreme temperatures have ranged from -20.6 °C (-5 °F) to 42.9 °C (109 °F).

Climate data for Xi'an (1971-2000)

Month

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Year

Average high °C (°F)

4.8
(40.6)

8.3
(46.9)

13.9
(57.0)

21.0
(69.8)

26.1
(79.0)

31.2
(88.2)

32.1
(89.8)

30.8
(87.4)

25.3
(77.5)

19.5
(67.1)

12.2
(54.0)

6.4
(43.5)

19.3
(66.7)

Average low °C (°F)

-3.8
(25.2)

-1.1
(30.0)

3.6
(38.5)

9.5
(49.1)

14.2
(57.6)

19.2
(66.6)

21.9
(71.4)

20.9
(69.6)

15.9
(60.6)

9.9
(49.8)

2.9
(37.2)

-2.5
(27.5)

9.2
(48.6)

Precipitation mm (inches)

6.9
(0.272)

9.6
(0.378)

28.6
(1.126)

43.0
(1.693)

60.2
(2.37)

54.4
(2.142)

98.6
(3.882)

70.8
(2.787)

91.6
(3.606)

59.9
(2.358)

23.9
(0.941)

5.8
(0.228)

553.3
(21.783)

humidity

66

63

66

67

68

62

71

75

79

77

74

69

69.8

Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm)

3.6

4.4

6.9

8.4

8.9

9.0

10.0

9.1

10.9

9.7

6.0

3.4

90.3

Mean monthly sunshine hours

100.8

103.2

120.8

147.9

171.4

185.3

191.9

195.4

127.0

111.1

98.4

92.8

1,646.0

Source: China Meteorological Administration

Chengdu Climate & Terrain

Chengdu has a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate, and is largely mild and humid. It has four distinct seasons, blessed with abundant rainfall, and relieved from both sweltering summers and freezing winters. Its favorable climate contributes to the development of agriculture and animal husbandry, making Chengdu a comfortable place for sustained human habitat.

The Qin Mountains to the far north help shield the city from cold Siberian winds in the winter; because of this, the short winter is milder than in the Lower Yangtze. January averages 5.6 °C (42.1 °F) Snow is rare but there are a few periods of frost each winter. The summer is hot and humid, but not to the extent of the "Three Furnaces" cities of Wuhan, Nanjing, and Chongqing, all which lie in the Yangtze basin. July and August average around 25 °C (77 °F), with afternoon highs sometimes reaching 33 °C (91 °F); sustained heat in the likes of some cities in Southeastern China is rare. Rainfall is common year-round but is the greatest in July and August, with very little of it in the cooler months. Chengdu also has one of the lowest sunshine totals in China (less sunshine annually than London), and most days are cloudy and overcast even if without rain. This is especially so in the winter months, when it is typically interminably grey and dreary, compounding the poor air quality. Spring (March-April) tends to be sunnier and warmer than autumn (October–November). Extremes have ranged from −5.9 °C (21 °F) to 40.0 °C (104.0 °F).

Climate data for Chengdu (1971−2000)

Month

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Year

Average high °C (°F)

9.3
(48.7)

11.2
(52.2)

15.9
(60.6)

21.7
(71.1)

26.0
(78.8)

28.0
(82.4)

29.5
(85.1)

29.7
(85.5)

25.2
(77.4)

20.6
(69.1)

15.8
(60.4)

10.7
(51.3)

20.3
(68.5)

Average low °C (°F)

2.8
(37.0)

4.7
(40.5)

8.2
(46.8)

12.9
(55.2)

17.2
(63.0)

20.5
(68.9)

22.0
(71.6)

21.7
(71.1)

18.6
(65.5)

14.6
(58.3)

9.5
(49.1)

4.5
(40.1)

13.1
(55.6)

Precipitation mm (inches)

7.9
(0.311)

12.1
(0.476)

20.0
(0.787)

44.2
(1.74)

78.5
(3.091)

106.8
(4.205)

224.5
(8.839)

201.1
(7.917)

118.8
(4.677)

35.2
(1.386)

15.9
(0.626)

5.2
(0.205)

870.2
(34.26)

% humidity

83

81

79

78

76

81

86

85

85

85

83

84

82.2

Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm)

7.0

8.5

10.9

13.0

14.7

15.2

17.6

15.8

15.6

13.1

7.7

5.2

144.3

Mean monthly sunshine hours

53.3

51.4

83.1

113.9

121.7

117.2

131.9

155.0

77.6

59.4

57.2

51.6

1,073.3

Source: China Meteorological Administration

Chongqing Climate & Terrain

Chongqing has a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate, and for most of the year experiences very humid conditions. Known as one of the "Three Furnaces" of the Yangtze River, along with Wuhan and Nanjing, its summers are long and among the hottest and most humid in China, with highs of 33 to 34 °C (91 to 93 °F) in July and August in the urban area. Winters are short and somewhat mild, but damp and overcast. The city's location in the Sichuan Basin causes it to have one of the lowest sunshine totals annually in China, at only 1055 hours.

Chongqing, with over 100 days of fog per year, is also known as the "Fog City", and a thick layer of fog shrouds it for 68 days per year during the spring and autumn. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, this special weather possibly played a role in protecting the city from being overrun by the Imperial Japanese Army. In recent years, the strong industrial development has degraded the air quality further, and the municipal government has been aggressively trying to improve the city's air quality. The so-called "blue sky days" (days with air quality within or better than slight pollution) number have been on the rise. Conditions are cooler in the southeast part of the municipality due to the higher elevations there.

Climate data for Chongqing (Shapingba District, 1971–2000)

Month

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Year

Average high °C (°F)

10.3
(50.5)

12.5
(54.5)

17.4
(63.3)

22.9
(73.2)

26.9
(80.4)

29.4
(84.9)

32.8
(91.0)

33.6
(92.5)

27.7
(81.9)

21.9
(71.4)

16.9
(62.4)

11.6
(52.9)

22.0
(71.6)

Average low °C (°F)

6.0
(42.8)

7.5
(45.5)

11.0
(51.8)

15.3
(59.5)

19.1
(66.4)

22.0
(71.6)

24.6
(76.3)

24.7
(76.5)

20.8
(69.4)

16.4
(61.5)

12.0
(53.6)

7.6
(45.7)

15.6
(60.1)

Precipitation mm (inches)

19.5
(0.768)

20.6
(0.811)

36.2
(1.425)

104.6
(4.118)

151.7
(5.972)

171.2
(6.74)

175.4
(6.906)

134.4
(5.291)

127.6
(5.024)

92.4
(3.638)

45.9
(1.807)

24.9
(0.98)

1,104.4
(43.48)

% humidity

83

80

76

77

78

80

76

73

80

84

84

85

79.7

Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm)

10.2

9.9

11.3

14.9

15.6

15.7

12.4

10.5

14.4

15.4

12.2

9.5

152.0

Mean monthly sunshine hours

27.3

34.1

67.4

98.0

108.5

109.7

180.1

196.0

102.4

62.5

43.1

25.8

1,054.9

Source: China Meteorological Administration

Shanghai Climate & Terrain

Shanghai has a humid subtropical climate (Koppen Cfa) and experiences four distinct seasons. Winters are chilly and damp, and cold northwesterly winds from Siberia can cause nighttime temperatures to drop below freezing, although most years there are only one or two days of snowfall. Summers are hot and humid, with an average of 8.7 days exceeding 35 °C (95 °F) annually; occasional downpours or freak thunderstorms can be expected. The city is also susceptible to typhoons in summer and the beginning of autumn, none of which in recent years has caused considerable damage. The most pleasant seasons are Spring, although changeable and often rainy, and Autumn, which is generally sunny and dry. The city averages 4.2 °C (39.6 °F) in January and 27.9 °C (82.2 °F) in July, for an annual mean of 16.1 °C (61.0 °F). Shanghai experiences on average 1,878 hours of sunshine per year, with the hottest temperature ever recorded at 40.2 °C (104 °F), and the lowest at -12.1 °C (10 °F).